History
And what i have accurately ascertained from those who saw it, these things i will also commit to writing. 2. just now in the month of november, of the
He commanded that the triremes and the other transport ships should all be brought to anchor in a good harbor, and that they should control the sea, a
War. therefore, having gone around and seen that it was by nature difficult to enter and hard to approach for on the one side it had the sea as a saf
They would be frustrated. and having gone out of the camp, and having overrun a part of the country, when he learned from those who had been taken ali
It was easy to attack by assault, being raised to the greatest possible height, and girded with two trenches dug to a corresponding depth), and the de
Having divided his phalanx into three parts by night, he went against the scythians, and falling upon them suddenly, in a brief moment of time he wrou
Meet them, when i give the signal with the trumpets. such was the exhortation that the general delivered and the army shouted 22 and applauded, and w
6. but nikephoros phokas, the colleague of the aforementioned leo (for it is necessary, having summarized the account, to proceed with the history in
The general, having seen this, spurred his horse, quickened his pace, rode in and restrained the soldiers' onslaught, persuading them not to kill the
Having drawn up an irresistible battle-line, went through the land of the hagarenes. to them, having heard of the attack of nikephoros, it did not see
Was dignified by his rank), was hostilely disposed towards nicephorus. 11. he decided, therefore, to attempt a revolution at once but not having at h
, to proclaim him supreme commander, and to entrust the forces of asia to him, so that he might defend and check the assault of the foreigners. for th
He said, if you are persuaded to take up the rule of the east, i shall quickly declare you emperor, and restore you to the imperial thrones. speak wel
For he was gently nursing his little body), then, recovering again, he said, “speak, most brave one, what need is there to consider this?” but he said
I have assumed the imperial office, but compelled by the necessity of you, the army, and you yourselves bear witness for me that i was both shunning s
Before the report of his proclamation could fly abroad, to seize in advance the straits and passages of the sea. for thus he thought that matters woul
Numbering over three thousand, attacked the house of joseph and his collaborators along with the people. and having subjected these to plunder and pil
Especially the monks), they did not allow the man to persist in what he had decided, but urged him both to embrace marriage and not to shun meat-eatin
Makes it flood in a single hour) emboldened by these things, the barbarians mocked the emperor and insolently hurled insults at him, and making sorti
Having fallen upon it, accomplishing nothing noble or vigorous. and he considered the matter an outright disgrace and insult, and an indelible reproac
Having come to the region around tarsus, there he encamped and having pitched a palisade round about, he ordered the crops and the meadows, luxuriant
Having recovered the standards, which, crafted from gold and stones, the tarsians had captured in various battles while routing the roman force, and h
Of the spectacle, turned to flight and ran back to their own houses. and from the pushing and disorderly rush, no little slaughter occurred, with very
To blow favorably upon them, but blowing against them strongly and fiercely, it has sunk their affairs. but the account will now clearly reveal these
To those acting against the divine ordinance, if somehow at least in this way people, being afraid, would abstain from evil deeds, and would cling to
He had taken a fortress, and having crossed mount lebanon transversely, he turned his attention to tripoli, which he saw was fortified and exceptional
Being obliged to drive them away, and to guard the flocks from harm, they, in addition to not driving them away, themselves cut them down and tear the
Having come, and having been befriended by the ruler of the tauroi, and having corrupted him with gifts and bewitched him with persuasive words (for t
Reconciliation and friendship might be secured. the mysians gladly received the embassy, and putting daughters of the royal blood 80 on wagons (for it
They might do. but as they were already considering rushing to their defense, and to stoutly resist the enemy in close combat, as dawn was brightly br
Boasting to all about his brave deeds in wars. 6. having approached the emperor with these words and, 85 as was likely, having bewitched him (for he s
Having lowered from above, one by one they first pulled up all the conspirators, and then john himself. having come up, therefore, beyond all human su
The vengeance for these things, and to those who were slipping he seemed relentless and burdensome, and oppressive to those wishing to lead an indiffe
At the end of the month of december, during the thirteenth indiction of the six thousand four hundred and seventy-eighth year, a throng of select men,
Having captured him, confines him to amaseia. having therefore from this secured sufficient safety for himself and for his affairs, and having purged
To make amends for what nikephoros had improperly introduced. for nikephoros, whether wishing to correct divine matters that were being disturbed by s
And having found him not very accurately versed in secular education, but most diligently trained in divine and our own, he anoints him patriarch of a
The bosporus, but to pass by moesia, which belongs to the romans, and has from of old been a part of macedonia. for it is said that the moesians, bein
To make replies. for we trust in christ, the immortal god, that if you do not depart from this land, you will be driven from it by us even against you
A disgrace by the raids of the scythians to send out bilingual men dressed in scythian attire into the homesteads and customs of the enemy, so that t
The romans on the one hand shouted for joy, and were strengthened for valor but the scythians, growing cowardly at the new and strange nature of the
2. the emperor, when he learned of such a revolt, was disturbed, as was likely, and having brought up bishop stephen from abydos with wingless speed,
He saw that murders along with the ensuing conspirators were proceeding harshly and inhumanely, he decided to no longer delay or be slothful, so that
Considering into what fortunes the unholy and blood-guilty john has enclosed my family, having mercilessly slain the emperor and my uncle, who was his
Eye, and to learn that these things were red, just as they had been from of old. phocas, considering this prodigy a second evil omen, and seeing also
Immediately, lest it be some ill-omened thing, and destruction befall the pursuing mysians but learning they were fleeing at full speed, he both purs
The russian minds were lifted up in audacity and boldness. therefore, the emperor, not enduring their overweening arrogance and their blatant insolenc
Being given out, and going under the earth by the inscrutable wisdom of the creator and again from the 130 celtic mountains gushing up, and winding t
Should set a phalanx against us, things will not end well for us, but in dreadful perplexity and helplessness. therefore, having strengthened your spi
Is called drista) lingering with his whole force. but in this way kalokyres escaped, and night coming on stopped the romans from battle. and just on t
And they killed up to one hundred and fifty vigorous men. but the emperor, learning of such an event, quickly mounted his horse and urged his follower
But the rest of the multitude he bound in fetters and shut up in prisons. he himself, having gathered the entire host of the tauro-scythians, numberin
1. and just as day was dawning, the emperor fortified the camp with a strong palisade in this manner. a certain low hill of dorystolon rises at a dist
He was courting them with gifts and toasts, encouraging them to proceed vigorously to the wars. 3. while these matters were in suspense, and the battl
He flees to a divine and great sanctuary, seen as a pitiful supplicant instead of a haughty and boastful tyrant. whom the men of the drungarius dragge
Having drowned. for it is said that, being possessed by greek 150 orgies, they perform sacrifices and libations for the dead in the greek manner, havi
On the next day (it was the sixth day of the week, and the twenty-fourth day of the month of july), when the sun was setting, the tauro-scythians, hav
Was being concluded. 10. but the romans, following the divine man who went before, 155 engage with the enemy, and a fierce battle having commenced, th
With purity. at any rate, having conferred a few things about a truce with the emperor, seated beside the rowing-bench of the skiff, he departed. but
Was crossed over. this is the greatest of the rivers cutting through asia, 161 and one of those that flow from eden, as we have learned from the divin
The emperor, as one who abused the power of his leadership for certain powerful men, and did not direct the affairs of the church as was established b
Having assembled forces, and having meticulously armed them, departing from the reigning city, he advanced through palestine, a prosperous land, flowi
The mainland is enclosed by strongholds, stretching upon a certain steep hill on the other side it is surrounded by the sea, putting forth a well-hav
Before until fire-bearing ships were secretly sent out from byzantium by those in power. which bardas parsakoutenos the magistros was leading, and ha
I would have been destroyed, if some divine providence had not led me out of that very danger, which caused me to ride out with speed, before the ravi
Furthermore, the star rising in the west at the setting of the morning star, which, making its risings in the evening, kept no fixed position at one c
Of the city, but already becoming feeble, and suffering from a deep and intractable panting. and having just come to the royal hearth, he was shown to
boasting to all about his brave deeds in wars. 6. Having approached the emperor with these words and, 85 as was likely, having bewitched him (for he showed her favor beyond what was proper, being extraordinarily captivated by her beauty), she persuaded him to summon John, and to come quickly to Byzantium. But he, having ridden into the capital and presented himself to the emperor, since he received instructions to visit the palace daily, at that time departed straightaway for his own hearth; but afterwards he did not cease going up to the imperial court. And since he was by nature a man of passionate action, and daring if anyone ever was, and most reckless in undertaking strange deeds, he found a device, so that through certain secret entrances prepared by the Augusta he might slip in and meet with her for talks, and plan the deposition of the emperor Nicephorus from the palace. From there she sent out to him at intervals men who were robust and youthful in matters of war, whom she received and kept in a small dark house near her. And when their agreement, conceived for evil and in travail with a terrible injustice, was hastening to bring forth its wicked lawlessness, they, coming together again with one another as was their custom, resolved to drag the emperor Nicephorus from his rule. From there John, having departed for his hearth, summoned both Michael, called Bourtzes, and Leo Pediasimos and, having closed the little room, plotted with them the murder of the emperor Nicephorus. The month of December was then at hand, bringing on its tenth day. It is said 86 that in the evening, around the time of the hymn-singing, a certain cleric of the imperial court gave a note to the emperor, in which these things were written: Let it be known to you, O emperor, that a grievous destruction is being plotted against you this very night. And that these things are true, let the women's quarters be searched, in which armed men will be found who are about to commit your slaughter with their own hands. The emperor, therefore, having read the note, ordered Michael, the head of the bedchamber, to make a careful search for the men; but he, whether out of respect for the Augusta, or using delay, or even being carried away by a divine madness, left the small room, in which the band of murderers was sitting, unsearched. And when night had already come on, the empress, having entered to the emperor as was her custom, was going through conversations about the brides who had recently arrived from Mysia, saying, "I am going to give instructions for their care, and then I will come to you; but let the little bedchamber be open, and let it not be closed for now; for when I return, I will close it then." Having said these things, she went out from there. But the emperor, throughout the whole watch of the night, was sending up his customary prayers to God, and was occupied with the study of the divine scriptures. And when nature demanded sleep, before the holy icons of the theandric form of Christ, and of the Mother of God, and of the divine forerunner and herald, beside the leopard skin and the scarlet-dyed felt cap, he rested upon the ground. 87 7. But the attendants of John, having been received by the Augusta, leaping sword-in-hand from the small room, awaited his arrival, watching around the open areas of the upper palace chambers. The gnomon was already announcing the fifth hour of the night; and a sharp breeze of the north wind held the state of the air, and much snow was being poured down; and John arrived with the conspirators, sailing along the shore in a boat, and setting foot upon the land where the stone lion catches the bull (custom has called the place Boukoleon); who was recognized by the attendants leaning out from above in the open areas by his whistling. For such a signal had been given to the assassins. a basket therefore, suspended by ropes
ταῖς τῶν πολέμων ἀνδραγαθίαις παρὰ πάντων μεγαλαυχούμενος. ϛʹ. Τούτοις τοῖς λόγοις μετελθοῦσα τὸν αὐτοκράτορα καὶ, 85 ὡς τὸ
εἰκὸς, καταγοητεύσασα (εὔνοιαν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τὸ προσῆκον παρεῖχεν αὐτῇ, ἐκτόπως τῆς ὥρας ταύτης ἡττώμενος), ἀνέπεισεν εἰσκαλέσαι
τὸν Ἰωάννην, καὶ θᾶττον ἀπαντῆσαι πρὸς τὸ Βυζάντιον. ὁ δὲ πρὸς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν εἰσελάσας καὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ παραστὰς, ἐπείπερ
ἐπισκήψεις ἐδέξατο τοῖς βασιλείοις ὁσημέραι φοιτᾷν, τότε μὲν ἐφ' ἑστίας εὐθὺς ἀπηλλάττετο· μετέπειτα δὲ παρὰ τὴν βασίλειον
αὐλὴν οὐ διελίμπανεν ἀνιών. ἅτε δὲ θερμουργός τις ἀνὴρ πεφυκὼς, καὶ τολμήσας εἰ καί τις ἄλλος, καὶ πράγμασιν ἐπιχειρεῖν ἀλλοκότοις
παραβολώτατος, ἐξεῦρε μηχανὴν, ὥστε διά τινων ἀφανῶν εἰσόδων πρὸς τῆς Αὐγούστης ἑτοιμασθεισῶν ὑποδύεσθαί τε καὶ εἰς λόγους
ταύτῃ συνέρχεσθαι, καὶ τὴν τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος Νικηφόρου τῶν ἀνακτόρων μελετῆσαι καθαίρεσιν. ἐντεῦθεν ἄνδρας ῥωμαλέους καὶ νεανικοὺς
τὰ πολέμια ἐκ διαλειμμάτων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐξέπεμπεν, οὓς ὑποδεχομένη ἐν οἰκίσκῳ σκοταίῳ παρ' αὐτῇ παρεφύλαττεν. ἐπεὶ δὲ πόνον
ἡ τούτων ἐπὶ κακῷ συλλαβοῦσα συμφωνία καὶ δεινὴν ἀδικίαν ὠδίνασα, τὴν πονηρὰν τεκεῖν ἀνομίαν ἠπείγετο, συνελθόντες αὖθις ἀλλήλοις
κατὰ τὸ σύνηθες , τὸν αὐτοκράτορα Νικηφόρον τῆς ἀρχῆς κατασπᾶσαι διέγνωσαν. ἐκεῖθεν ἐφ' ἑστίας ὁ Ἰωάννης ἀπαλλαγεὶς, Μιχαήλ
τε, τὸν καλούμενον Βούρτζην, καὶ Λέοντα τὸν Πεδιάσιμον εἰσκαλέσας καὶ τὸ δωμάτιον κλείσας, τὴν τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος Νικηφόρου
μετ' αὐτῶν ἐσκαιωρεῖτο ἀναίρεσιν. μὴν ἐφειστήκει τότε ∆εκέμβριος, δεκάτην ἐλαύνων ἡμέραν. λέγεται 86 δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἑσπέραν παρὰ
τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ὑμνῳδίας κληρικόν τινα τῆς βασιλείου αὐλῆς λίβελλον ἀναδοῦναι τῷ βασιλεῖ, ἐν ᾧ ταῦτα ἐγέγραπτο· γνωστὸν ἔστω
σοι, βασιλεῦ, ὡς ὄλεθρός σοι ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ἐπικαττύεται χαλεπός. ὅτι δὲ ἀληθῆ ταῦτα, ἡ γυναικωνῖτις ἐρευνηθήτω, ἐν ᾗ ἄνδρες
ἔνοπλοι καταληφθήσονται, οἱ τὴν σὴν μέλλοντες αὐτουργῆσαι σφαγήν. τὸν γοῦν λίβελλον ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀναγνοὺς, Μιχαὴλ τῷ τοῦ κοιτῶνος
κατάρχοντι ἔρευναν ἀκριβῆ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ποιῆσαι παρεκελεύσατο· ὁ δὲ, εἴτε τὴν Αὐγούσταν καταιδεσθεὶς, εἴτε μελλήσει χρησάμενος,
ἢ καὶ θεοβλαβείᾳ παρενεχθεὶς, παρῆκε τὸ δωμάτιον, ἐν ᾧ τὸ τῶν φόνων τῶν ἀνδρῶν καθῆστο στίφος, ἀνεξερεύνητον. ἤδη δὲ τῆς νυκτὸς
ἐπελθούσης, κατὰ τὸ εἰθισμένον ἡ βασιλὶς πρὸς τὸν αὐτοκράτορα εἰσφοιτήσασα, λόγους διῄει περὶ τῶν ἐκ Μυσίας νεωστὶ ἀφιγμένων
νυμφῶν, ὅτι, ἄπειμι τὰ πρὸς θεραπείαν αὐτῶν ἐπισκήψασα, ἔπειτα δὲ φοιτήσω πρὸς σέ· ἀλλ' ἠνεῳγμένος ὁ κοιτωνίσκος ἔστω, καὶ
μὴ κλεισθήτω τὰ νῦν· παλινοστήσασα γὰρ ἐγὼ τοῦτον κλείσω λοιπόν. ταῦτα προσειποῦσα ἐκεῖθεν ἐξῄει. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς δι' ὅλης μὲν
τῆς φυλακῆς τῆς νυκτὸς τὰς συνήθεις εὐχὰς ἀνέπεμπε τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ τῇ μελέτῃ τῶν θείων γραφῶν διεσχόλαζεν. ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸν ὕπνον ἡ
φύσις ἀπῄτει, πρὸ τῶν σεπτῶν εἰκόνων τῆς τε θεανδρικῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ μορφῆς, καὶ τῆς Θεομήτορος, καὶ τοῦ θείου προδρόμου καὶ
κήρυκος, παρὰ τὸ παρδάλειον δέῤῥος καὶ τὸν κοκκοβαφῆ πῖλον, ἐπ' ἐδάφους διανεπαύετο. 87 ζʹ. Οἱ δὲ πρὸς τῆς Αὐγούστης ὑποδεχθέντες
ὑπηρέται τοῦ Ἰωάννου , τοῦ δωματίου ξιφήρεις ἐκπηδήσαντες, τὴν ἐκείνου ἄφιξιν προσεδέχοντο, περὶ τὰ ὕπαιθρα τῶν βασιλείων
ὑπερῴων κατασκοπούμενοι. πέμπτην τῆς νυκτὸς ὥραν ὁ γνώμων ἤδη κατεπηγγέλλετο· δριμεῖα δέ τις βορέου αὖρα τὸ τοῦ ἀέρος ἐπεῖχε
κατάστημα, καὶ χιὼν ἐχεῖτο πολλή· καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης ἀφίκετο μετὰ τῶν συνωμοτῶν , ἐπὶ λέμβου τὸν αἰγιαλὸν παραπλέων, καὶ τῆς ἠπείρου
προσεπιβαίνων, ἵνα ὁ λίθινος λέων τὸν ταῦρον ζωγρεῖ (Βουκολέοντα τὸν τόπον κέκληκεν ἡ συνήθεια)· ὃς τοῖς ἄνωθεν ἐπὶ τῶν ὑπαίθρων
προκύπτουσιν ὑπηρέταις συρίττων ἐπεγινώσκετο. τοιοῦτον γὰρ τοῖς παλαμναίοις ἐδέδοτο σύνθημα. κόφινον οὖν καλωδίοις ἐξηρτημένον
